About this Presentation
This presentation reviews progress to date in the application of the theory of constraints (TOC) to achieving a breakthrough in performance in health and social care systems. These developments address how to improve emergency care, discharge management, out-patient management, elective surgery management and how to turn improvements in the operations into a decisive competitive edge. The presentation assesses progress to date, current limitations, together with future opportunities and challenges. Alex Knight also reflects on lessons learned in applying TOC to a new industry.
What Will You Learn
To help you get the most value from this session, we’ve highlighted a few key points. These takeaways capture the main ideas and practical insights from the presentation, making it easier for you to review, reflect, and apply what you’ve learned.
The speaker discusses the application of the Theory of Constraints (TOC) in health and social care systems, emphasizing the importance of identifying the most common cause of delay in the system and addressing it.
The speaker highlights the importance of answering two key questions to improve patient flow and system efficiency: of all the patients I could work on next, which one should I work on next? And of all the things I could change, where are the few places that I should focus my improvement efforts?
The speaker suggests that the time it takes to improve the system should be significantly reduced, arguing that if the average lead time for a patient going through these systems is six or seven days, improvements should be able to be made within two or three cycles of patients going through the system.
Instructor(s)
Jennifer Eckman
Ms Alka Wadhwa
Alka Wadhwa is an experienced consultant and process improvement expert with over 24 years of expertise in the Theory of Constraints (TOC), Lean Six Sigma, and organizational performance optimization. She has successfully led projects in healthcare, financial services, and manufacturing, driving significant improvements such as a 67% boost in hospital operations and a 140% increase in outpatient visits.
Previously, Alka Wadhwa spent 17+ years at GE Global Research Center, where she led initiatives to enhance various GE businesses through advanced technologies, process redesign, and system optimization. Founder of Better Solutions Consulting, LLC, she specializes in using TOC, Six Sigma, and data analytics to streamline operations and build high-performance teams.
Her work has earned her multiple accolades, including the Empire State Award of Excellence in healthcare.
Dr Gary Wadhwa
Dr. Gary Wadhwa is a Board Certified Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon with extensive experience in the field. He completed his Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery training at Montefiore Hospital, Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, NY, and has served as an Attending at prestigious institutions like St. Peters Hospitals, Ellis Hospital, and Beth Israel Hospital in NY. With a career spanning over two decades, he was the former CEO and President of a group specialty practice in NY from 1994 to 2015. Dr. Wadhwa holds an MBA from UT at Knoxville, TN, and has undergone additional training in System Dynamics at MIT, Health System Management at Harvard Business School, and Entrepreneurship and healthcare innovations at Columbia Business School. Committed to expanding access to Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery care, he is currently engaged in a meaningful project to provide healthcare services to underserved populations in inner city and rural areas through non-profit Community Health Centers.